Monday, July 05, 2010

Freedom

We had our neighborhood "parade" - which really starts at a Blood Mary stand and most of the neighbors walk around the streets drinking them, while their kids ride bikes.

A woman, whom I know in name only, asked me if I worked out at a certain gym (which I do) and take Spin class (which you know I do). But what killed me is that she says she recognized me by the back of my legs!!!!! LOLLLLL.

Yes, I do bike in the front row and have little need to know who is behind me. But I found it funny that this is how I got noticed. Of course I had to ask, "is it because they look good?" Whether she was lying through her teeth or not, she confirmed this to be the case.

I had some nice conversations with neighbors, some new, some not. One who was new, I have known from a previous life. I says to him, I says......"Javier, you don't live here!", but he tells me that this was not the case and that he and his wife moved in a few weeks ago. Who knew??

Oh, the parade ends at an old folks home where people sing patriotic anthems - the old ones, not the Lee Greenwood or Toby Keith ones.

Our very right next door gave a reading of The Declaration of Independence. I kid you not. Actually, he did a really nice job with it.

This is the retirement/old folks home. It's where I hope to be spending my remaining days - if I can snag a room. This is where some songs were sung..........kind of. "The Star Spangled Banner" was skewered, or so you thought, until you heard half of a verse of "My Country Tis of Thee" - which petered out so quickly it was kind of embarrassing. No one knew the words - myself included, not that I was going to be singing anyways.

After the parade was a pic-a-nic (say like Yogi). Hot dogs were the only thing cooked. Neighbors brought everything else. I won't list the items. I made a dip with avocado, goat cheese, cream cheese, garlic, lime and cumin. It went over well - since it was all gone before 40 minutes was up. The only bummer, the cupcake I snagged got knocked off my plate and went face down in the dirt. Bummer!

The rest of the day was at my sister's house. More food, but I got to use their neighborhood pool - which was necessary due to the heat and the possibility that I might not have showered since Friday morning.

2 comments:

I love that your neighborhood does this. Our neighborhood doesn't do anything together any more. At least when the kids were little we had the 4th of July parade like yours, when the kids would follow the fire truck through the streets and finish with popsicles.